STATE TIMES NEWS
CHAMBA: Union Minister for Science and Technology and MoS PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday inaugurated the first-of-its-kind Science Museum at the Aspirational District of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh in presence of State Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.
Linking it with StartUps, Dr Jitendra said, the state-of-art institution in this hilly region will inspire young children to discover their potentials and use their innovative skills to find a source of livelihood in later life.
The “DBT-NIPGR-Pandit Jaiwant Ram Upmanyu Science Museum” set up by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research, an autonomous institute of Department of Biotechnology, at Government Boys Senior Secondary School (GBSSS), Chamba will help infuse scientific temper among the school children.
Dr Jitendra said that Himachal being a Himalayan State with rich biodiversity is most suitable for promotion of Agri-tech Start-ups and the Department of Biotechnology is willing to hand-hold the young innovators to take a plunge in the ongoing start-up boom in the country.
Dr Singh said, the geography and climatic conditions in Himalayan states like Himachal Pradesh favour the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants and these can be developed into Agri-tech and aromatic enterprises. The Minister offered Chief Minister Jairam Thakur all help to study and implement CSIR supported Aroma Mission in Jammu and Kashmir, which can be replicated in a big way in Himachal.
Dr Jitendra pointed out that only recently Prime Minister Modi has reviewed the progress of Aspirational Districts and remarked, “The success of Aspirational Districts on various parameters – be it health, nutrition, education or exports – is heartening. Glad to see the lives of lakhs get transformed due to Aspirational Districts program.”
The Minister was happy to note that Chamba has been ranked second in Health and Nutrition in March 2019, ranked among best districts in basic infrastructure in November 2020 and overall second in October 2021 in the country among the 117 districts identified across the country by NITI Aayog. He added that Aspirational District concept is based on objective parameters and it is scientifically designed with evaluation based on certain essential indices.
Dr Jitendra told the gathering thay aligning with the vision of Prime Minister to make Science & Technology reach every nook and corner of the country, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India has taken an initiative to install 75 science museums in different Aspirational districts of the country. He said, the purpose of these science museums is not only to apprise the scientific journey and achievements of India in the last 75 years of Independent India but also to infuse scientific temper among the school children.